Schumley is running for congress

Content SectionMichael Jackson's Rabbi is Running for CongressMar 17, 2012 1:18 PM EDTShmuley Boteach has advised Michael Jackson and written books on 'Kosher Sex'--and now, he wants to be your representative in Washington. Diane Dimond on the Rabbi headed for the House.PrintEmailComments (13)

Boteach also writes books with decidedly non-Orthodox titles like Kosher Adultery – Seduce and Sin With Your Spouse, The Kosher Sutra and Kosher Sex. As a representative of a strict religion that includes a Jewish code of law explicitly prohibiting oral sex, this rabbi writes frequently about why the act is nearly necessary for a good marriage.

Now Rabbi Shmuley, as he prefers to be called, wants to be a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The heretofore non-political Boteach (pronounced bo-TAY-akh) has announced he is a Republican candidate for the Ninth Congressional District in New Jersey. His platform mirrors his life’s work: promoting Jewish family values, happy marriage, and a tax-break plan for those seeking marriage counseling (which Boteach himself happens to offer.)

At first blush it would appear Boteach has all the makings of a successful politician: name recognition, an affable ability to communicate, a penchant for self-promotion (he has no fewer than half a dozen Facebook pages, all featuring photos of himself in GQ-like poses, and various official web sites where he sells his books and iTunes downloads of his relationship lectures), and the instinctive sense to change position when it is advantageous to do so. He is a man who is not only at home in the spotlight, he craves it.

The idea that Boteach would like to be a Congressman at this stage in his life raises many questions. Does he truly believe he can win in a decidedly Democratic district, or is this just another self-promotion campaign from the man who famously said that there is an 11th commandment, “Thou shalt do anything for publicity and recognition”? (He would later say he was being sarcastic.)

More important, does he realize that life in Washington as a freshman congressman would be very different than the life he’s led so far, a life primarily funded by his own non-profit, The World: The Values Network?

Debbie Hill, UPI / Landov

The 45-year-old Boteach and his wife Debbie, have three homes and nine children. They make their primary residence in the town of Englewood, New Jersey on a $2.6 million property with a stone house and indoor swimming pool. One of his only forays into politics has been an ongoing fight with his town’s planning board to allow a building on his land to be designated as a synagogue. If that were to be granted the Rabbi has said he would sell the property to This World: The Values Network, which he runs out of the Englewood home. The charitable exemption would then save the rabbi all future property taxes which last year totaled $63,393.60.

In contrast, if he were to win a Congressional seat he’d earn $174,000 a year and all outside expenditures would be carefully monitored by House Rules, which strictly prohibit co-mingling of political and outside charity monies. Rabbi Shmuley’s challengers for the Ninth District seat, two long-serving Democrats whose districts were recently pared down to one, are surely already having staff sift through the charity’s books looking for irregularities.His platform mirrors his life’s work: promoting Jewish family values, happy marriage, and a tax-break plan for those seeking marriage counseling.And there’s the lack of status to contend with: Capitol Hill freshmen typically spend at least a year laying low, learning the system and forming alliances – not really this independent Rabbi’s style. And there is an unstated decorum at the Capitol that frowns upon a member’s appearing on, say, cable TV to talk about pop culture. Although Boteach counts House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) among his friends there is no guarantee that he would be able to help him win a committee assignment that would give him a camera-ready cause. Can Rabbi Shmuley be seriously thinking about adopting this very different lifestyle?On top of this, some have questioned his judgment in various settings, particularly in his most well-known relationship: with Michael Jackson.One of the Boteach’s 27 books was based on dozens of hours of recordings he made with the King of Pop in 2000 and 2001 for a collaborative book that never materialized. During their cozy period Boteach referred to himself as Jackson’s “spiritual advisor” and they were photographed together often. But the unlikely pair had a severe falling out in 2002. After that Boteach’s once-effusive praise of the entertainer’s humanity and humility was replaced with sharp public criticism. Rabbi Shmuley revealed in several national interviews that he had counseled Jackson not to entertain so many young boys and hinted that his good advice is what ultimately caused Jackson to banish him from the inner circle.

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"Don't stop this child, He's the father of man Don't cross his way, He's part of the plan I am that child, but so are you You've just forgotten, Just lost the clue.”

Maybe he belongs there. It’s been prophesized that there will be false gods among us who will situate themselves in the places of the most high. Schmuley fits that scenario to the tee /cook/ And Dimond bangbang I hate her with a passion. It’s a hate that is almost tangible.

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"Don't stop this child, He's the father of man Don't cross his way, He's part of the plan I am that child, but so are you You've just forgotten, Just lost the clue.”

Can someone explain to me how he's able to be so wealthy? I am a little confused - does he have a large following?

I guess we'll have to wait and see what his true motives are. Someone who wants to get into politics usually starts at the local level. He seems to be jumping right into the fire. People would be crazy to vote for him with no previous experience.

Thank you for sharing this with us. Blessings to you.

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I'm proud to be a child of God and a member of MJ's Army of L.O.V.E.

"Press coverage of my life is like [watching] a fictitious movie...like watching science fiction. It's not true." ~Michael Jackson (2005)

"You should not believe everything you read. You are missing the most important revelations". Craig Harvey 3-15-2012

Content SectionMichael Jackson's Rabbi is Running for CongressMar 17, 2012 1:18 PM EDTShmuley Boteach has advised Michael Jackson and written books on 'Kosher Sex'--and now, he wants to be your representative in Washington. Diane Dimond on the Rabbi headed for the House.PrintEmailComments (13)

Boteach also writes books with decidedly non-Orthodox titles like Kosher Adultery – Seduce and Sin With Your Spouse, The Kosher Sutra and Kosher Sex. As a representative of a strict religion that includes a Jewish code of law explicitly prohibiting oral sex, this rabbi writes frequently about why the act is nearly necessary for a good marriage.

Now Rabbi Shmuley, as he prefers to be called, wants to be a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The heretofore non-political Boteach (pronounced bo-TAY-akh) has announced he is a Republican candidate for the Ninth Congressional District in New Jersey. His platform mirrors his life’s work: promoting Jewish family values, happy marriage, and a tax-break plan for those seeking marriage counseling (which Boteach himself happens to offer.)

At first blush it would appear Boteach has all the makings of a successful politician: name recognition, an affable ability to communicate, a penchant for self-promotion (he has no fewer than half a dozen Facebook pages, all featuring photos of himself in GQ-like poses, and various official web sites where he sells his books and iTunes downloads of his relationship lectures), and the instinctive sense to change position when it is advantageous to do so. He is a man who is not only at home in the spotlight, he craves it.

The idea that Boteach would like to be a Congressman at this stage in his life raises many questions. Does he truly believe he can win in a decidedly Democratic district, or is this just another self-promotion campaign from the man who famously said that there is an 11th commandment, “Thou shalt do anything for publicity and recognition”? (He would later say he was being sarcastic.)

More important, does he realize that life in Washington as a freshman congressman would be very different than the life he’s led so far, a life primarily funded by his own non-profit, The World: The Values Network?

Debbie Hill, UPI / Landov

The 45-year-old Boteach and his wife Debbie, have three homes and nine children. They make their primary residence in the town of Englewood, New Jersey on a $2.6 million property with a stone house and indoor swimming pool. One of his only forays into politics has been an ongoing fight with his town’s planning board to allow a building on his land to be designated as a synagogue. If that were to be granted the Rabbi has said he would sell the property to This World: The Values Network, which he runs out of the Englewood home. The charitable exemption would then save the rabbi all future property taxes which last year totaled $63,393.60.

In contrast, if he were to win a Congressional seat he’d earn $174,000 a year and all outside expenditures would be carefully monitored by House Rules, which strictly prohibit co-mingling of political and outside charity monies. Rabbi Shmuley’s challengers for the Ninth District seat, two long-serving Democrats whose districts were recently pared down to one, are surely already having staff sift through the charity’s books looking for irregularities.His platform mirrors his life’s work: promoting Jewish family values, happy marriage, and a tax-break plan for those seeking marriage counseling.And there’s the lack of status to contend with: Capitol Hill freshmen typically spend at least a year laying low, learning the system and forming alliances – not really this independent Rabbi’s style. And there is an unstated decorum at the Capitol that frowns upon a member’s appearing on, say, cable TV to talk about pop culture. Although Boteach counts House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) among his friends there is no guarantee that he would be able to help him win a committee assignment that would give him a camera-ready cause. Can Rabbi Shmuley be seriously thinking about adopting this very different lifestyle?On top of this, some have questioned his judgment in various settings, particularly in his most well-known relationship: with Michael Jackson.One of the Boteach’s 27 books was based on dozens of hours of recordings he made with the King of Pop in 2000 and 2001 for a collaborative book that never materialized. During their cozy period Boteach referred to himself as Jackson’s “spiritual advisor” and they were photographed together often. But the unlikely pair had a severe falling out in 2002. After that Boteach’s once-effusive praise of the entertainer’s humanity and humility was replaced with sharp public criticism. Rabbi Shmuley revealed in several national interviews that he had counseled Jackson not to entertain so many young boys and hinted that his good advice is what ultimately caused Jackson to banish him from the inner circle.

I don't agree with bashing anyone who is doing his part to make the world a better place, and is taking it another step. He can't be any worse than the recycling of 400 some elected phonies and actual criminals in charge, who have been nose-diving the country and other countries into a big ditch. >:(

I have to laugh. Everyone who can, is having sex in all kind of ways, and most people WANT, themselves, to have enough money to give their kids a pleasant life, better than they had, anyway, so why resent that he is helping people to understand another perspective on sex, as if he is more twisted than anyone else handing out advice all over TV and internet??? (All Jewish laws are not God's given laws, you know, and ultimately, sex is your own (as a couple), private business, no matter WHAT.) And why resent someone who has EARNED his wealth so far as we KNOW (and just a reminder, talk is cheap, & does not count as real info)?? It's not like we aren't already, right now, keeping thousands of former government crooks in HIGH retirement style, with our own wages... /scream/

What is the problem now? Are people offended that he is well known, or thinking out of the confines of his own religious box, or a rabbi, or just that old devilish lie, that he is a Jew doing very well, when he shouldn't be, according to some people?? /scream/ respect/

He has written many books and not all are about sex. I LIKE him and I want to see how he does bucking the System. I think he doesn't realize what he is getting into; how they will turn on him, using all he holds dear, to break him & mold him into one of them---but maybe God has told him some things and has a strategy for placing THIS guy, THERE. If he doesn't get elected, it is all moot, anyway. Why Worry, and throw all kinds of dirt?

I just hate to see someone who is in motion, DOING something, have to fight all kinds of ignorant flack. We ALL want peace; a healthier, safer world. It's just nasty to backbite (especially in print) and derail someone who's on the same side. ::) Shame on those :roll: reporters trying to start something. mj_dance/

Ariel sharon""every time we do something you tell me Americans will do this and will do that. I want to tell you something very clear, don't worry about American pressure on Israel, we, the Jewish people control America, and the Americans know it."

David Ben-Gurion, Israeli Prime Minister "When a Jew, in America or in South Africa, talks to his Jewish companions about 'our' government, he means the government of Israel."

Sometime I have to shake my head in wonderment. This is one of them. Perhaps some need to read up on how Schmuley betrayed Michael's trust. I wouldn't call him a model citizen by a long shot. And that's my final answer.

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"Don't stop this child, He's the father of man Don't cross his way, He's part of the plan I am that child, but so are you You've just forgotten, Just lost the clue.”